Of Love and War
by raven612
Summary: Ichigo and Renji are members of rival gangs. The only thing that drives the two leaders to fighting each other is the girl Rukia. Ichigo knows that she belongs to Renji, but he fights for her anyways. Rating M for saftey for language and some later scenes
1. Beauty to Behold

**Of Love and War**

**Chapter 1: **Beauty to Behold

**By: **Raven612

**Pairings: **Ich/Ruk Orh/Uuryu Ren/Ruk Byak/Yoruichi and more to come.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach or the characters of Bleach, although sometimes I wish I did.

**Summary: **Ichigo and Renji are members of rival gangs. The only thing that drives the two leaders to fighting each other is the girl Rukia. Ichigo knows that she belongs to Renji, but he fights for her anyways. Ichigo would never say that he is in a gang because unlike many he doesn't go out looking for fights, but he and his friends stand up and fight for those who can't or are to scared to. They are the protectors, and right now all Ichigo wants is to hold and protect Rukia.

It was a cool crisp morning as Ichigo threw a single white rose into the softly gurgling waters of the river. It was near the spot that she had been killed eight years ago. He sighed heavily and shed a single tear. He wiped it away and looked up and over the horizon, hoping that any day now the pain and guilt he felt inside would leave him. Suddenly he heard giggles coming from the bank opposite him. He put his hand to his eyes to shield the bright sun and he noticed two girls walking along the river talking. He immediately recognized Uuryu's girlfriend Orihime, but the other girl he didn't quite know.

She was very tiny and from Ichigo's place she looked to be no more than 12 years old, but he could almost sense she was his age. And sure enough as they came directly across from him he recognized the girl. It was the beautiful Rukia, who had stolen his heart when she came to school here 4 years ago. The two girls were unaware of his presence, for the time being.

"Feh, Ichigo you dumb bastard don't even think about it, she's Renji's, the lucky bastard." Ichigo scolded himself.

Ichigo watched as the girl continued walking and talking still oblivious to him. He jogged a short distance to a bridge connecting the two banks and made it across just in time to run into the two girls. Orihime squeaked with happiness and smothered Ichigo in a gruesome hug. Ichigo blushed furiously as he felt her very large breasts rub against his chest.

"Hello Orihime," he managed to get out as she suffocated him.

Rukia stood off to the side wondering who this boy was. She admitted he did look rather familiar and she also had to admit he was quite handsome. He had odd orange hair, and she could tell, through the tight black shirt he was wearing that he had a nice toned body. Her violet eyes widened when she noted the soft and beautiful amber of his own eyes.

Ichigo managed to shake off Orihime; he nodded to Rukia, "The names Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Kuchiki Rukia," she stated, in her tone she had an air of strength and self confidence, but Ichigo picked up on a sliver of fear. Was she afraid of him?

"Nice to meet you," Ichigo said, and he was surprised as he said, he normally didn't say such things, he just shook his head and shoved his hands into his pocket.

"Oh, Ichigo you haven't meet Rukia before? She's been going to our school for 4 years now," Orihime chimed in sweetly.

"I know Orihime, but that doesn't always mean I meet everyone," Ichigo said between clenched teeth.

"Oh, but you also told Kiego about her, and oh doesn't Kiego have a crush on her? Don't you too?" Orihime questioned.

Ichigo quickly reached over and covered her mouth, "Enough Orihime," Ichigo stuttered quite embarrassingly.

Rukia blushed, "Uhm, Orihime, I'm sorry to leave you so soon but Renji's waiting," and with that Rukia bound off over the bridge.

Ichigo flinched mentally, _'Damn him, such a beautiful girlfriend and I bet he doesn't even treat her right.' _Ichigo thought bitterly as Rukia ran from them.

Orihime latched onto Ichigo's arm intent on finishing her walk along the river with someone by her side, and at this moment it was Ichigo.

"So Orihime where's Uuryu?" Ichigo asked wondering what she was doing by herself, usually Uuryu was by her side, he feared that she would run off with some other boy, but Ichigo knew that they loved each other more than they let know.

"Oh he's at some grand opening of another yarn shop," Orihime sighed, but she smiled, "You know it really is sweet how he can openly admit to people that he knits," Orihime chimed.

"Yeah, it takes a real man to knit some mittens," Ichigo said sarcastically with a laugh.

"Yes it does," Orihime chirped happily completely oblivious to Ichigo's sarcasm.

"So Orihime, how long has Rukia been dating Renji?" Ichigo asked, hoping he wasn't being too obvious.

"Oh about 2 years now, you know they met when she lived in Tokyo."

"You mean they've known each other for a long time?" Ichigo asked worried, if that was true then it would be harder to break them up.

"Well Rukia told me that she's known him since she was 10, so yeah, quite a while." Orihime said with a finger to her lips signaling she was thinking hard.

Ichigo chuckled as they continued their walk along the river. It was well past dinner time when he finally turned up home and his father greeted him with a swift kick to his abdomen.

"Better luck next time son, you need to work on being prepared." Isshin chuckled as he walked away from his squirming son.

"Why do I need to be prepared for a fight when I'm walking into my own _HOME?"_ Ichigo screamed as he picked himself up off of the floor. The truth is, he and his friends regularly found themselves fighting and because of it many people around school had labeled them a gang.

Ichigo mumbled and grumbled as he walked into the kitchen and greeted a cheery Yuzu. She was currently concentrating on baking a cake, and she had decided to add her own little twist to it.

"Yuzu, what are you doing?" Ichigo asked noticing the most intent look on her face that he's ever seen.

"I'm baking a cake for mommy," she said simply.

Ichigo flinched, so she did remember, well of course she did, her and Kairen and his father always went to visit her grave, but Ichigo couldn't bring himself to go there, not yet, but he always visited the spot on the river that she had died.

"Do you want to help me?" she asked knowing that their mother's death affected him even more than anyone, because he was there when it happened.

"No thanks, I have a ton of homework." He knew it was a lame excuse and he knew Yuzu would see right through it.

"Okay," she chimed happily waving good-bye to him with her wooden spoon.

Ichigo shook his head and headed to him room. Just as he stepped into his room the phone rang. He answered, it was Kiego.

"Ichigo, there's a problem," and that's all Ichigo had to hear, he knew it meant a fight.

"I'm coming, where are you guys at?" he asked.

"We're across from the park, near the river." Kiego stated as he hung up the phone.

"Right," Ichigo mumbled as he put his sneakers on. He ran to the river just in time to see Ooshima kicking a smaller boy around and laughing.

"Yo, Ooshima, what's your deal?" he shouted to the bigger guy.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Ichigo, the freaky orange haired kid." He sneered as he walked towards him.

"Ooshima, you better re-think your actions." Ichigo said as he cracked his knuckles, Kiego, Mizuiro, and Chad were all there to back him up.

"Pheesh, with a pip squeak like you?" Ooshima asked laughing.

With that Ichigo wound up and punched Ooshima square in the jaw. Ooshima doubled over in pain and spat out a tooth.

"You son of a bitch, you knocked out a tooth," Ooshima screamed lunging for Ichigo.

Ichigo smirked and took a step back and brought his hand down hard on Ooshima's back as he ran past Ichigo. Ooshima fell hard to the ground. He flipped over and made a grab for Ichigo's legs, but he stepped away and Ichigo landed a kick square into Ooshima's ribs.

"That'll teach you to pick on anyone, for a while," Ichigo announced as he dusted off his hands.

"Hey Kurosaki," Ichigo spun around to face who had just called his name.

There was Renji, flanked on all sides by his gang, and holding onto his waist, much to the envy of Ichigo was Rukia. But upon deeper looking, Ichigo found that Rukia looked very upset. He noted the soft trail of tears on her cheeks. It looks as if she had just gotten done crying.

"Heh, Renji, and what the hell do you want, I have no quarrel with you right now," Ichigo said icily.

"Think again, Ichigo, you mess with one of mine, you mess with me," and with that Renji ran at Ichigo and landed a hard punch to his right temple. Ichigo heard his angel scream at Renji to stop before his world went black.

**A/N: **And what do you think? I had gotten this idea while I was working the other night, so now I'm working on two Bleach stories right now. Go read Where Life Take You! RIGHT NOW!!! Lol and please review both stories!!!!


	2. Hard Awakening

**Of Love and War**

**Chapter 2: **Hard Awakening

**0By: **Raven612

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Bleach or any of the chars.

**Summary: **Ichigo awakes after being knocked out by Renji only to find Renji along with Rukia gone. He wants to find out what makes Rukia stay with Renji, its pretty obvious to Ichigo that he abuses her, and that really makes his blood boil.

Ichigo awoke from unconsciousness. He rubbed his head and looked around himself. Everyone from Renji's gang had gone away, even Rukia. But he remembered her scream, was it for him, or had something else happened while he blacked out. No he couldn't bare the thought of her possibly being hurt.

"What the hell happened?" Ichigo questioned as he pushed himself to his feet.

"Renji kicked your ass," Kiego stated simply scratching the back of his head.

"Why the hell didn't you guys back me up?" Ichigo yelled suddenly furious.

"Sorry Ichigo but after he laid you out he and his gang just took off." Mizuiro said simply, and Chad only shrugged with a humph.

"Whatever," Ichigo said as he walked away from them.

"Hey Ichigo where are you going?" they asked as he walked away from them.

"I'm going home, and having my dad check out this gash in my head," he stated as he rubbed the bloodied gash on his right temple.

Ichigo walked into his house, and yelled for his father, there was no answer so he decided to check in their clinic. Looking in and yelling for his father once again with no response Ichigo decided to check the kitchen. He opened the door as was greeted with more silence and darkness. That's when he noticed the note on the counter.

_Ichi, sorry we didn't ask you to come along, but we're bringing mommy her cake and then catching a late supper, there's some leftovers in the fridge if you'd like._

_Love Always,_

_Yuzu_

"Pheesh, just like them to leave me here with a bleeding cut on my head," he said half heartedly as he made his way to the bathroom and set out to patch himself up the best he could. Just then there was a knock on his door.

"Coming," he screamed from the bathroom he hissed loudly as the antiseptic stung his wound. He quickly threw on a band-aid and bound down the stairs as another knock sounded.

"I said I was coming," he said in an annoyed voice.

"Sorry," a tiny voice said as she started to back away.

Ichigo looked down to see Rukia at his door, "No wait, sorry, I just thought you were someone else." He said managing a small smile.

Rukia's eye immediately went to his bare chest. Her cheeks heated slightly as she found herself looking upon a nicely sculpted body. "Here, you dropped this earlier," she said handing him his wallet.

"Thanks, but I wouldn't guess that a rival of mine would want my wallet returned to me," he said slightly heatedly thinking of Renji.

"Well you could thank me instead of being a pig about it," Rukia said her hands on her hips as she looked up at him.

"Sorry, it's just that I don't particularly like anyone who socks me in the head with no reason."

"He can get angry sometimes, but you just have to deal with it," she said fidgeting with her fingers as she studied them.

"Heh, but that doesn't give him a right to go out and pick fights with everyone." Ichigo said hating Renji more than anything at this moment, "I mean what right does he have fighting with poor defenseless kids?" he said raising his hands into the air.

"You know, you shouldn't be too quick to judge, I mean how do you know that that kid didn't deserve what he got?" she shot back tiny hands on her hips again and her violet eyes piercing his own amber ones.

Ichigo laughed at her.

"Why the hell are you laughing at me? I didn't say anything funny!" she shouted to him as she kicked his shin.

He yelped more in surprise then in pain as he grabbed his leg. "Well it's kind of hard to listen to a girl that's at least a foot shorter than me," Ichigo smiled.

"Humph, at least I don't have stupid orange hair," she shot back with a snicker. Then she seemed to straighten with fear, "Oh no, I gotta go Renji's waiting, he'll be mad if I'm not back soon, bye Ichigo." She shouted as she ran away from him. Again he had to watch her run away from him and into the arms of the man he hated most.

As Ichigo shut the door he shook his head, 'Women, their so much trouble,' he thought silently, but he knew in his mind and heart that he wouldn't mind putting up with Rukia.

Just after he finished his homework did he hear his father and two sisters arriving home. He bound down the stairs once again to greet them. He saw his father rounding up with a kick, but then Isshin saw the bandage on Ichigo's head.

"What happened to you?" Isshin asked with a slight hint of concern for his son.

"Nothing really, just fell on some stairs while I was skating with Mizuiro and Kiego." Ichigo lied.

"Well my boy you need to be more careful, don't scare that pretty face of yours, because if you do, then how will I get my grandchildren?" Isshin asked happily smiling as he punched Ichigo lightly on the shoulder.

"Why me? You have Karin and Yuzu to supply you with plenty of grandchildren." Ichigo shot back quite angrily.

"Oh no, not my precious little girls!" Isshin said as he pinched their cheeks, they both shouted and grumbled in pain and annoyance.

"Feh, whatever, I'm going back to my room to study and go to sleep." And with that Ichigo left his sisters and father to fight.

Ichigo entered his room chuckling, "Ichigo?" a soft voice questioned.

Ichigo about jumped out of his skin when he saw Rukia sitting in his window seat. "What the hell are you doing here and how the hell did you get in here?" he gawked at her.

"I'm sorry, I really shouldn't be here, but the window was open…" she trailed unsure of how to correctly explain herself.

"I'm sorry for snapping, but it was quite a surprise, you have to admit," he said as the shock wore off of him. He couldn't believe that Rukia was in his room right now.

"Sorry," she said again sheepishly, and that's when Ichigo noticed the black and blue mark on her arm, it was kind of odd that is was in the shape of a hand. It wasn't Ichigo's place to pry, but it hurt him to see it afflicting his angel.

"So what do you want?" he asked scratching the back of his head while he studied her.

"I'm not quiet sure, something pulled me here," she said fidgeting with her hands again, "you probably think I sound pretty stupid about now huh?" she asked with a small smile as her shimmering violets caught hold of Ichigo's amber.

"Not really, you just kind of sound like a doofus," he chuckled then soon regretted as a familiar sting wound up his shin.

"How dare you," she said her tiny fists on her hips as she stood before him in mock anger.

"Sorry, just couldn't resist," he sputtered through grit teeth.

"Well I should probably go, Renji doesn't know I'm here, and I hate making him worry," she said as she turned and climbed out of his window and jumped to the street below.

"What a weird night," he muttered to himself as he lay down on his bed his head resting on his hands. Soon sleep took him and whisked him away to dream land.

DREAM

_It was a bright sunny day and Ichigo was lying on a grassy hill watching the clouds in the sky. A soft tiny hand grabbed his, "Hey Ichigo look there, doesn't it look like a bunny?" a soft voice asked with joy and excitement._

_He looked over and noticed that Rukia lay next to him giggling softly, "Yeah it does, and that looks like a hungry wolf just behind it," he joked laughing, but he wasn't laughing long when pain shot through his head._

_"You forget that we can be the same height when we're lying down" Rukia said her hand still balled into a fist._

_Ichigo rubbed his sore head but smiled as he pulled her into his lap and snuggled her close. "I don't want to let you go," he whispered into her ear as she turned to look at him with those beautiful violet eyes._

_"You don't have to worry about that Ichigo," she chuckled softly as she pulled on his orange feathered hair and pulled him in close. _

END DREAM

Just as their lips gently brushed did the brutal beeping of Ichigo's alarm jar him awake.

"Damnit all to hell," he almost screamed as he awoke painfully from his dream. He threw his blankets to the side and jumped from his bed. He yawned loudly and went to the window to make up his own forecast, and when he looked into the sky he noticed a cloud, oddly in the shape of a bunny, he laughed to himself. 'Must be a sign,' he thought joyously for a moment.

Reality hit and Ichigo slowly made his way through the morning and his walk to school. He entered his class and today was greeted by a smile from Rukia. Before she hardly looked at him and he hardly her. He smiled back happy that she had finally noticed him.

The class dully wore on and Ichigo randomly jotted down notes, instead he was thinking about Renji and just how the hell he had snagged Rukia. Renji was 18 and a high school drop out, certainly didn't seem like Rukia's type, then again Ichigo didn't know her type. And besides that why the hell did he care, he had other girls to choose from anyways!

The final bell rang and Ichigo was about to head home when he was suddenly stopped just a block away.

"Well, well, well," Renji sneered as he cracked his knuckles, "seems someone has been trying to get with my girl, and I'm here to tell you Kurosaki that that is NOT going to happen," and with that being said he lunged for Ichigo.

Ichigo jumped out of the way in time, "What the hell are you talking about?" he asked as he quickly dodged another attack.

"Don't play stupid, Rukia ran screaming and crying her eyes out to me that you had tried to get with her, and that didn't sit well with me!" Renji yelled as he landed a swift kick to Ichigo's abdomen which doubled him over in pain. As Ichigo began to right himself a punch landed on his already wounded right temple.

"Fuck," he screamed as he punched Renji hard in the jaw and jumped away from Renji's fast moving fist.

"I'll fucking teach you to touch Rukia!" Renji yelled, his red hair was escaping his ponytail and slightly obscuring his vision, and thus he didn't see Ichigo jump away and kick to his groin.

"I never touched her, she was lying to you," Ichigo spat as he walked, well more like limped away from a groaning Renji.

"This is not over Kurosaki," Renji promised as Ichigo disappeared to his house.

'Damn her, what the hell, she was just setting me up, and I thought she may have liked me," he thought bitterly as he entered his home. For once he was glad that his family was out. He didn't need a pity party just yet. As Ichigo entered his room, there she was once again on his window seat.

"And what the hell do you want, checking to make sure your boyfriend kicked my ass for you, well he did a good job, but I got him better, and what the fuck did I do to you to make you lie to him?" Ichigo rambled a mile a minute his head and his heart were aching.

"Look Ichigo I'm sorry that this happened to you, I knew it would, that's why I came here, to tell you, it's not my fault," Rukia said as she helped him to sit on his bed.

"We only meet a day ago, and already you have him on my ass?" he asked bitterly.

"No Ichigo I didn't do this, it was Ooshima, he's Renji's spy, and I guess I wasn't careful enough last night," she said biting her lip as she sat next to him. She didn't quite know why but something inside of her told her she could trust him and there was also something warm and new growing inside of her.

"Pheesh, I'd say," he muttered as he looked down at her, she was playing with her fingers.

"Look Ichigo if your not going to accept my apology then I'll just go right now," she almost whined as she rose from his bed.

"I'm sorry, so just out of curiosity, were you careful tonight?" he asked not wanting a repeat of today tomorrow.

"You'll have to see for yourself tomorrow," she said with a devilish wink as she once again escaped out his window.

'DAMN WOMAN,' he thought to himself angrily.

**A/N: **So how do you guys like this chappie? Kind of lemony, I was aching for some Ich/Ruk fluff and just had to add a little! I hope that it's not going to fast, like I said; I somehow have a way of moving too fast! Well R&R!! Oh and I have figured out how to update daily! Both of my stories! I write a chapter for one during the day before I go to work then I write a new chappie for the other one when I get home from work!! Work well for me, but in the next few days it won't work since I'm gonna go to the state fair, but don't you worry yourselves, cuz I'm gonna update like crazy!!!!!!


	3. Trust

**Of Love and War**

**By: **Ravne612

**Chapter 3: **Trust

**Summary: **Ichigo is hurting from his fight with Renji so he decides to take a day off from life. He decides to do this at the river, and he decides that he needs to get some advice from his mother. While Ichigo is at the river he meets someone new.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own bleach, and blah blah blah…..

Ichigo slowly made his way to the river, very near the spot that his mother had died. He sat down and watched the water swirl into white peaks and then cease to be as they became a part of the river again. He had hoped to one day surprise his mom with the new love he picked up shortly before she died. She was a talented musician and sang all of the time. Ichigo had decided to take up the guitar and see what he could do with it. He's been playing for about 4 years now and he has just recently started singing. He was glad that no one else was around. He figured that this would be a good way to call upon and connect with is mother's spirit. He pulled the old acoustic guitar from its case and started strumming out the tune he wanted. He looked around again to try and see if anyone was around. He was still shy about his singing and playing, to him he sucked and he did not want to take any criticism from anyone. He slowly began to sing the lyrics to a song he recently wrote about his mom. (Song belongs to FM Static)

"I remember the times we spent together  
on those drives  
We had a million questions  
all about our lives  
and when we got to New York  
everything felt right  
I wish you were here with me  
tonight

I remember the days we spent together  
were not enough  
and it used to feel like dreamin'  
except we always woke up  
Never thought not having you  
here now would hurt so much

Tonight I've fallen and I can't get up  
I need your loving hands to come and pick me up  
And every night I miss you  
I can just look up  
and know the stars are  
holdin' you, holdin' you, holdin' you tonight

I remember the time you told me about when you were eight  
And all those things you said that night that just couldn't wait  
I remember the car you were last seen in  
and the games we would play  
All the times we spilled our coffees  
and stayed out way too late  
I remember the time you sat and told me about your Jesus  
and how not to look back even if no one believes us  
When it hurt so bad sometimes  
not having you here...

I sing,  
"Tonight I've fallen and I can't get up  
I need your loving hands to come and pick me up  
And every night I miss you  
I can just look up  
and know the stars are  
holdin' you, holdin' you, holdin' you tonight"

I sing,  
"Tonight I've fallen and I can't get up  
I need your loving hands to come and pick me up  
And every night I miss you  
I can just look up  
and know the stars are  
holdin' you, holdin' you, holdin' you tonight" he sang out the lyrics as he got more into the song, sure he knew some of the words didn't fit, but he did have poetic license. He softly stopped strumming the guitar.

"So mom, what do you think? I wrote it for you, it lets me truly express how I feel, stupid counseling sessions," Ichigo muttered as he snickered a bit, a light breeze caressed his cheeks.

"So you did like it, good," he said laughing as he put his guitar back into the case. "Mom, I wish you were here, I really need you right now," he said painfully into the air as it again ruffled his hair.

"I honestly don't know what to do, I know Rukia is in an abusive relationship, but we've only met each other two days ago, and I have no freakin idea why I feel that I _need_ to protect her and plus there's no way Renji would let her go, well without a fight anyway," Ichigo pondered the thought over and over in his mind.

"Aw fuck, I don't know what the hell to DO!" Ichigo screamed in despair as he lay back into the grass his hands laced behind his head and stared at the clouds. Soon though his vision was blocked. Ichigo sat up fast and spun to see who was there.

"Hello Kurosaki Ichigo," the boy said coolly, almost emotionless.

"Who the hell are you?" Ichigo asked studying the weird looking black haired boy.

"I am Kuchiki Byakuya," he said the words seemed to slide right off his tongue.

"Rukia's older brother eh?" Ichigo asked as he recognized him.

"Yes," he said looking at Ichigo as if picking him apart and analyzing him.

Ichigo suddenly felt like he was naked in front of Byakuya because of the way he was staring at him. "What the hell do you want?" Ichigo asked eager to get him out of here.

"I need you to get Rukia away from Renji," he stated coolly his eyes never leaving Ichigo's.

"Why the hell do _I _need to do that?" Ichigo asked eyeing him suspiciously.

"You're the only one I trust," he said.

Ichigo finally figured he was going crazy, "What the hell, how can you say that? I've only just met you," he said angrily yet complemented that Byakyua trusted him with his precious little sister.

"Ichigo, if not you, then I fear she'll die very soon," Byakyua said with an air of worry, but it quickly vanished.

"What the hell do you mean?" Ichigo asked rising so that he could look the older boy in the eyes.

"Ever since Renji and Rukia started dating a few years ago, I've noticed her changing from a happy young girl into that of despair ridden caged animal. It's as if Renji sucks the life from her, not to mention that he is over protective and abusive. The physical hurt and the mental hurt is pushing her deeper into her cage. I did notice however that after she visited you that she began trying to escape her prison." Byakuya stated smoothly.

"And what the fuck am I supposed to do about it, go get myself killed, because Renji proved pretty well the other day that I so much as glance in Rukia's general direction I would be the one that'd end up dead!" Ichigo shot back, although he wouldn't admit it, he would die for Rukia if the need rose.

"Ichigo I came here not to argue but simply ask if you'd help save Rukia, as her brother it hurts me when she arrives home with fresh bruises and another dark corner for her to hide in, but if you don't want to help, I can figure out another way," Byakyua said coldly as he started to walk away.

Ichigo watched him go, he waited a few minutes as he tossed the idea around in his head, "Mom?" he pleaded as he looked into the sky looking for a sign. The wind swirled around his body and seemed to embrace him then a soft lingering breeze touched his cheek and faintly caressed his face. He smiled knowing now what he had to do. He ran to catch up to Byakuya.

"I'll do it," Ichigo said surely, and Byakyua studied him a bit more.

"I don't understand it, but you're the only one who can save her, if not you, then she will surely die," and with that Byakuya disappeared into the fog.

"Creepy guy," he chuckled to himself as he returned to his house and into his room. He sat on his bed staring at the floor; he kicked his feet out and relaxed a bit into his bed. He smiled then, he figured that id Rukia's older brother asked him to save her then that must mean he wouldn't mind if he fell in love with her. Yeah Ichigo figured that this may work out fine. But Ichigo did not know that the future held hardships and some very near death experiences. He only wanted to live for the moment. He then pulled out his hidden song book, a beat up and torn green covered note book. He wrote a few lyrics and slid it back under his mattress; he then settled in and fell into a restful sleep.

**A/N: **So whatchya think? I like it! Lol, so mad that it took a while to update? Yeah me too, jeez what the heck! But I'm back from the fair and rearing to go! Tomorrow afternoon before work I shall update Where Life Takes You. Oh and I fell in love with Tonight by FM Static, and it seemed to fit alright with the death of his mother, and I'm a sucker for acoustic singing men, so I decided to make Ichigo have a hidden soft side and talent, what do you think of it? I was trying to figure out which story to put it in and I decided to use this one!!! Lemme know what you think!!!


	4. All Hail the Heartbreaker

**Of Love and War**

**By: **Raven612

**Chapter 4: **All Hail the Heartbreaker

**Summary: **Ichigo thinks about what Byakuya has told him and has asked of him. He then thinks if Rukia is really worth his life, then he pours his emotions into a new song, and then an unexpected visit causes him even more confusion. What is our hero to do?!?!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Bleach characters and I don't own the songs "All Hail the Heartbreaker" or "Black Dresses" by The Spill Canvas, but I do recommend that everyone go and listen to them, they are AMAZING!!!!!!!

Ichigo arrived home from school, with, thank God, no fights. He sighed loudly as he made his way to his room, successfully avoiding everyone in his house. Although he had no major fights he did have a major confrontation and he needed to clear his mind and relax.

School

"Hey, Ichigo," someone called from behind him as he made his way to home room; he turned to find Rukia waving him down.

"Rukia, what's up?" he asked walking over to her and leaving his friends.

"I just wanted to make sure you really do forgive me," she said blushing and played with her hands as she looked at the floor.

"Rukia, uhm sorry to tell you this but, it wasn't you that rearranged my face, so I really don't have to forgive you for anything."

"I know but I feel bad for it because it was my boyfriend and he used me to get to you."

Ichigo cringed when she said the word boyfriend, "Rukia look, I'm not worried about it so don't you worry about it okay, I'm fine, I guess though if I was worse off, like if he ruined my good looks or anything, then you should be worried."

Rukia laughed, "Well anyways I just wanted you to know that I had nothing to do with anything and I wanted to make sure that we could still be friends." She smiled slightly as she finally looked into his eyes.

"Sure we can be friends, but I'm pretty sure your _boyfriend_ wouldn't like that," Ichigo tried not to sound too bitter but he felt bad when he noticed the sudden look of sadness in Rukia's eyes.

"I'm sorry Ichigo, if only we had met under better circumstances," and with that she turned on her heel and Ichigo could tell she was about to cry.

But why would he make her cry, they had only spoken to each other a total of 5 times now, not near enough for her to trust him completely and sure not enough time to have her seriously want to be good friends. Ichigo shook it off and figured he must be imagining things.

Later that day during lunch Ichigo noticed that Rukia was sitting by herself. Orihime sat next to him along with his other friends. He nudged her.

"Hey Orihime, why aren't you eating with Rukia?" he asked.

"Oh, well she, she, well we're not really good friends," Orihime said sadly.

"But you two were walking together at the river a few days ago," he said wondering what might have happened.

"Yeah, well she was kind of a last resort, I mean don't get me wrong I would love to have Rukia as a friend, I mean she's a very good person and she's very nice, but she's so locked up," Orihime started listing other traits about Rukia she liked and disliked, then she said something that caught Ichigo's attention.

"And her boyfriend is a total nutcase, he hurts her, I know he does, but she just won't admit to it and she won't talk to me about it, and it truly hurts me to know she puts up with it." Orihime said sadly as she looked over at Rukia.

"I know he does Orihime, and I'm supposed to help her get out of her relationship but I don't feel like getting killed so I don't even know if I want to try." Ichigo was disappointed in himself even as he said the words, he really did want to help her but he had no idea how to do it with minimal hurt to both of them.

"Oh Ichigo you have to help her! I'm very sure that if any one can it's you!" Orihime chirped as she clapped her hands.

"Orihime it's not that easy," he huffed as his head sank to the picnic table.

"Don't worry Ichi, I'll help you!" she said with a bright smile.

That's when Ichigo got really upset and worried. There is no way he was going to get Orihime caught up in all of this; he was not going to risk her getting hurt. First off she was too much of a nice person, and not to mention what Uuryu would do to him if so much as a scratch landed on his precious Orihime.

"No Orihime," he said firmly.

She only smiled and walked away, 'Damn it!' he shouted in his mind, he knew from her smile she had made up her mind and she was not going to back out, she was a person who couldn't stand to see anyone else being hurt.

Present

Ichigo really had no idea what to do, he was seriously considering going to Byakuya and telling him that there was no way he could get Rukia away from Renji. It was too dangerous, he knew that if Renji had to he would kill them both, and Ichigo was not about to risk Rukia's life or now Orihime's. Ichigo turned over on his bed and grabbed his song book; he then jotted down a new song.

**"All Hail The Heartbreaker"**

I had the notion that you'd make me change my ways  
My bad habits would be gone in a matter of days  
I had the feeling that you'd open up my eyes  
To a whole new world that had since been in disguise

But that day will most likely never come for me  
And it's just my luck to end up getting stuck   
To everything you are

So tonight I'll sit and pick apart your pictures  
And overanalyze your words  
But the truth is that I've never fallen so hard  
It's taking everything in me  
Just to forget your sweater so far

I had the notion that you'd make me forget the world  
But your undecisive mind shows me that   
You are "just another girl"  
I had the feeling that those looks you gave me were real  
What if I ripped your heart apart at the seams  
Maybe then you'd know how I feel

But that day will most likely never come for me  
And it's just my luck to end up getting stuck  
To everything you are

So tonight I'll sit and pick apart your pictures  
And overanalyze your words   
But the truth is that I've never fallen so hard  
It's taking everything in me  
Just to forget your sweater so far

I can honestly say  
That I never, ever, ever felt this way  
Your lips, your eyelashes, your skin  
These are the parts of your body   
That cause my comatose to begin

I can honestly say  
That I never, ever, ever felt this way  
Your lips, your eyelashes, your skin  
These are the parts of your body  
That cause my comatose to begin

I will sleep another day  
I don't really need to anyway  
What's the point when my dreams are infected  
With words you used to say  
I will breathe in a moment  
As long as I keep my distance  
I wouldn't want to go messing anything up

So don't go worrying about me  
It's not like I think about you constantly  
So maybe I do, but that shouldn't affect  
Your life anymore  
I knew it the moment you walked into the door

So don't go worrying about me  
It's not like I think about this constantly  
So maybe I do, but that shouldn't affect  
Your life anymore  
I knew it the moment you walked into the door

I'll let you get the best of me  
Because there's nothing else that I do well  
I'll let you get the best of me  
Because there's nothing else that I do well  
I'll be the giver and you'll be the taker  
I guess that's how this one's gonna go I'll be the giver and you'll be the taker  
You've got me down on my knees and I proclaim  
All hail the heartbreaker

Ichigo had completely immersed himself into his writing that he didn't notice the soft tapping on his window. When he looked up Rukia was standing before him.

"Hello," she said as she studied him.

Ichigo jumped about three feet into the air, "What the hell!" he screamed at her and then regretted it as soon as he had seen who she was.

"Sorry to scare you, again, but I did knock this time," she pointed out.

"I didn't hear you," he countered.

"I said sorry, for about the thousandth time," she said with a smile as she sat next to him on his bed, he quickly shoved his song book under the covers.

"What was that?" she asked noticing it.

"No-nothing, it's just homework," he said quickly as a slight blush creped into his cheeks.

Rukia nodded detecting his lie, but didn't say anything about it. Rukia studied his room and noticed a beat up acoustic guitar. "So do you play?" she asked suddenly.

"Huh?" he asked surprised as he looked at Rukia.

"Guitar idiot," she then pointed to it.

"Oh that, uhm, yeah I play a little, nothing too serious though," he smiled sheepishly.

"Could you play me something?" she asked with a smile and a puppy-dog look.

"No, nope, can't play for you, can't play for anyone actually." He said lying through his teeth.

"Ichigo, shut-up and play a song for me," she said sternly locking her intense violet eyes with his cool amber ones.

Ichigo gulped, he was now between a rock and a hard place. "Uhm, to warn you out right I am no good, I am totally tune deaf."

"I don't buy that for a second," she said with a laugh as she grabbed his guitar for him. She handed it to him and then sat Indian style on the floor at his feet and looked up at him expectantly.

Ichigo heaved in a long breath and began to strum a soft tune. He closed his eyes to forge that Rukia was in the room with him and began to sing a song he wrote a few years ago.

**"Black Dresses"**

In muddy grass we stand side by side  
With our knuckles interlocked  
Black dresses flood the cemetery  
In this cliche tragedy

Just do as you're instructed and...   
Take this razor and cut your palms  
I'll do the same until a river of crimson begins to flow  
Now drip your ruby red over the casket  
A funeral for my once loved youth

My secret is fatally gorgeous  
I'd die for you  
But in this Bonnie and Clyde kind of romance  
Tell me what would you do?  
My secret is fatally gorgeous  
I'd die for you  
But when your precious life is at stake  
Tell me would you die for me too?

The quivering liquids in your stomach  
Will eat away at the bad habits that have made you  
A real character in the story of your now distant life  
Goodnight and goodbye, quickly

In gentle greens we stand side by side  
With your head buried in my chest   
Black veils send me shivering  
The fear that part of me is dying

Just do as you're instructed and...  
Take this razor and cut your palms  
I'll do the same until a river of crimson begins to flow  
Now drip your ruby red over the casket  
A funeral for my once loved youth

My secret is fatally gorgeous   
I'd die for you  
But in this Bonnie and Clyde kind of romance   
Tell me what would you do?  
My secret is fatally gorgeous  
I'd die for you  
But when your precious life is at stake  
Tell me would you die for me too?

The quivering liquids in your stomach  
Will eat away at the bad habits that have made you  
A real character in the story of your now distant life  
Goodnight and goodbye, quickly, quickly

Goodbyes are said and roses thrown  
And the crowd starts to weep  
But the irony of the story is when I fell to my knees  
And began clawing at the dirt in front of the tombstone  
Of my bashful childhood  
With you by my side, you're screaming at the  
Top of your lungs, "let it go"   
And I'm screaming at the top of my lungs  
"The ceremony was not proper, there was not enough people,  
And who picked the music?  
Those melodies almost made me physically sick"

My secret is fatally gorgeous  
I'd die for you  
But in this Bonnie and Clyde kind of romance  
Tell me what would you do?  
My secret is fatally gorgeous  
I'd die for you  
But when your precious life is at stake  
Tell me would you die for me too?

The quivering liquids in your stomach  
Will eat away at the bad habits that have made you  
A real character in the story of your now distant life  
Goodnight and goodbye, quickly  
Goodnight and goodbye, quickly

Rukia's breath was caught in her throat as she listened to his beautiful song. "Wow Ichigo that was wonderful, I had no idea you were…..so emotional. But just out of curiosity, what made you write this?" she asked curiously looking up at him.

"Well it kind of signifies the growing up I had to do after my mom died and how it made me feel." He said sadly as he put his guitar down.

Rukia nodded and moved back to the bed to sit next to him, she placed her hand over his. "I know how you feel Ichigo, it's not easy, I lost both of my parents," she said sadly as she looked into his eyes hoping to comfort him.

"Sorry to hear that," he didn't know quite what to say.

"It's alright it was a while ago," she smiled, gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and stood up. "Well I guess I better get going, it was nice of you to share that song with me Ichigo." She smiled and jumped out the window.

Ichigo just shook his head, how was he supposed to tell Byakuya that he didn't want to be the one to save Rukia, he didn't know what to do now.

**A/N: ** Yeaup so it's been quite a while eh? Well I just started college and it's been taking up a lot more time then I imagined so here it is!!


End file.
